This Russian news site did an "arts and culture" type of segment on the Tula factory as it was last July. It's got all the factory tour hits: reed tuning, pliers, rows of near finished instruments, instrument demos, etc. There doesn't seem to be a caption option, but it looks like the text below the video is basically a transcript and can be easily machine-translated. I know many on this forum can't/wouldn't buy an instrument from Russia right now, but it looks like they might be having trouble getting steel for reeds anyway.
2022 Tula Factory Tour
- Thread starter lordzedd
- Start date
This Russian news site did an "arts and culture" type of segment on the Tula factory as it was last July. It's got all the factory tour hits: reed tuning, pliers, rows of near finished instruments, instrument demos, etc. There doesn't seem to be a caption option, but it looks like the text below the video is basically a transcript and can be easily machine-translated. I know many on this forum can't/wouldn't buy an instrument from Russia right now, but it looks like they might be having trouble getting steel for reeds anyway.
petch
Well-known member
Interesting to watch though I can't understand a word of it
Looks quite dated in comparison to some videos we see of European factories
Looks quite dated in comparison to some videos we see of European factories
You can get a more in depth look at other parts of the factory in their own video here. Youtube captions can be translated, but not very well. I couldn't say how much of the factory condition is due to dire financial conditions and how much is due to the lack of better modern equipment.
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Drew Pritchard ( of "Salvage Hunters ") would love to fossick in there!
forró
Member
I wouldn't mind buying a Russian accordion, but it's hard getting an accordion of your choice in Australia regardless of where it's made anyway 
The factory produces more than 50 types of accordions, button accordions, accordions.
More than 50 types of accordions, button accordions, accordions are produced by the Tula Accordion factory. Participating in the implementation of the national project "Culture", a significant part of them are sent to music schools. About the intricacies of assembling tools - Yulia Strukova.
This button accordion is made to order for professional musicians, large ensembles and conservatories. No more than five per year - too intricate mechanics. In such a complex instrument - about five hundred - only reeds.
Tongues come in different sizes. The largest ones are for bass, the smallest ones are for treble.
In the center of the assembly shop - a number of booths. This is where the initial setup takes place. This is where the tongues find their notes.
“I have a fur below and a pedal here. The sound goes through the air flow, here is the microphone. Everything is displayed on the computer. We need to tune the note “la,” says tuner Margarita Khodina.
The production of the Tula accordion has been counted since 1830. It was then that the Tula gunsmith Ivan Sizov acquired a German accordion at the Nizhny Novgorod fair, dismantled it into pieces. And began to copy the acquisition. Gradually, handicraft production grew and turned into a mass production. The 60-70s of the last century were the best for the Tula Melodiya plant. It employed five thousand people.
“Folk events were accompanied by a button accordion: both Zykina and others. Then the tape recorders were pressed a little,” says Yury Bryzzhev, general director of the Tula Harmonica factory.
At the factory, where now there are 230 employees, 50 types of accordions, button accordions, and accordions are made. The craft is learned right at the factory. Often come from other professions. Work, similar to needlework - requires accuracy and patience.
“Each craftsman does his own thing. Let’s say I assemble the right side, and behind me the master assembles the left side,” said Marina Sukhanova, an assembler of reed instruments.
Accordion "Fairy Tale" with a miniature keyboard, small buttons for children's fingers. Nearby is a model for export - a Spaniard. diatonic. A graduate of the Petrozavodsk Conservatory, he works here as an inspector.
“This is a Tula-210 serial instrument. It is widely popular, in particular, in music schools,” says Sergey Gusev, inspector of the technical control department.
The main buyers of "Tula accordion" are music schools and colleges. Within the framework of the national project "Culture", the state allocates funds for the purchase of tools, which fully provides the factory with orders from all over the country. True, in the new conditions I had to look for where to find some details and materials.
“Now there are problems with voice steel, Sweden refused to supply us. Files - Germany also refused,” says Yury Bryzzhev, general director of the Tula Harmonica factory.
As a result, voice steel was found in St. Petersburg, files will be supplied by parallel import. You can find a way out of any situation, they think here.
The Tula Accordion factory continues to follow the trends in technology.
Except that he would give them a fraction of the value and sell them for a fortuneDrew Pritchard ( of "Salvage Hunters ") would love to fossick in there!
petch
Well-known member
Interesting, I wonder how many Sirius and Nova models Pigini make annually in comparison
Also 5000 to 230 employees over 5 or 6 decades, wow!
I know that 4 or 5 years ago, they sold more than 400 Nova and Sirius combined in that one year, I don't have the split amounts for each and that doesn't include the custom 47 key PA (Bayan reeded design) they made for Ksenia Sidorova. I would tend to think that the quality levels of the Pigini units surpass the Tula and for sure the prices are also going to be a good chunk higher as well. They are also better known in the industry., so that would account for some of the reasons they can sell more than the Tula brand (plus Tula doesn't make any PA, so that would definitely cut in to their numbers!).
Ark_b
Newbie
I have a Tula, '209' or BN-57:I wouldn't mind buying a Russian accordion, but it's hard getting an accordion of your choice in Australia regardless of where it's made anyway
It is my first Bayan, and I find it fun, loud, lots of bass, and very strong. There is a small rattle in there somewhere, particularly when I hit a combination of deep bass and chords.
It was pretty cheap - I paid about 1300 AUD including postage. The factory ships with standard post, I got a re-seller to package it careful and send it with in as air. Postage was about 200 AUD.
I bought it in end of 2021 before the War.
I am part of Ukrainian Community in Australia. Not everything is Black and White.
If you look at local shops in Ukraine, they still sell predominantly Tula Bayans.
In my experience, most Russian Bayanists, are a little less likely to be fervent patriots. More likely to oppose the war.
I do think that there can be a case for buying a Bayan from Tulskaya Garmon. If there is no better option, it is okay.
forró
Member
Can you point us to your reseller? Not that I particularly plan on buying one straight away, but it would be good information for the future.
I think the situation may be a bit different now with the war.
Do we need to be able to speak Russian / Ukrainian to deal with the reseller?
kimric
Well-known member
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I spent a little time in Tula shortly before the epidemic. I visited the factory and spent several hrs there watching processes and talking to the techs. I speak no Russian but the manager spoke english. My wife speaks and understands Russian to some degree so I got some interesting remarks later translated by my wife. The techs were suspicious of me.
I had a introduction sent to them by Weltmeister so I got a better reception than some random person would just showing up.
I was ordering instruments from them till the war started. Currently I get used ones from a contact in Ukraine.
Some pics of the visit Tula visit
I had a introduction sent to them by Weltmeister so I got a better reception than some random person would just showing up.
I was ordering instruments from them till the war started. Currently I get used ones from a contact in Ukraine.
Some pics of the visit Tula visit
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Kimric,
Thanks for sharing: interesting !
Thanks for sharing: interesting !
Cool!!!!! Thanks, love the red accordion boot!
